With school right around the corner, it's time for parents to start thinking about the safety of their budding athlete.

NBC NEWS -- With school right around the corner, it's time for parents to start thinking about the safety of their budding athlete.

If a child plays contact sports or any sport involving a ball or a puck, add a mouthguard to the shopping list.

While the protective mouthpieces offer twice the protection against significant facial injuries or broken teeth, there is one myth doctors want to debunk.

"They don't change any of the movement of the brain that actually leads to the concussion, so they're not helpful in that respect," said Dr. Vijay Jotwani, who specializes in sports medicine at Houston Methodist.